New Rector of Quarrington partial to touch-downs and motorcycle leathers

Welcoming the new Rector of Quarrington. From left - Archdeacon of Lincoln the Venerable Gavin Kirk, Rev Mark Thomson, Bishop of Lincoln the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson and Rural Dean of Lafford Canon Christine Pennock. EMN-160609-124957001

Published:07:30Sunday 11 September 2016

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St Botolph’s Church in Quarrington saw a special service on Monday evening marking the induction of the parish’s new motorbiking, American Football-playing priest.

Rev Mark Thomson is now the Rector of Quarrington with Old Sleaford and was instituted by the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson.

Also in attendance was Archdeacon of Lincoln the Venerable Gavin Kirk and Rural Dean of Lafford Canon Christine Pennock, as well as a packed congregation.

Rev Thomson said he and wife Jo-Anne are excited about becoming part of the church family and wider community of Quarrington: “I am also looking forward to continuing to strengthen the links with St Botolph’s School,” he said.

He also admitted, aside from the church, he has been keen on some faster-paced pastimes: “I am a keen motorcyclist and follow motorcycle racing, watching MotoGP and Superbike races on the television. In addition, I enjoy watching rugby and American Football, both of which I used to play,” he said.

Born and brought up in Irvine, Scotland, his father was a Church of Scotland minister and he was raised in the Presbyterian Church.

He went on to study history at Glasgow University, before starting a long career in local government at Glasgow City Council and Birmingham City Council.

He joined the Carrs Lane United Reformed Church in Birmingham city centre and served there for several years as a Sunday school teacher. Having married Jo-Anne they moved to Bedford, where he worked for Bedfordshire County Council and the couple worshipped in the local Methodist Church.

In 1994 they moved to Stamford where the couple’s two daughters, Louise and Hannah, were both born.

Rev Thomson said: “While worshipping at St George’s Church in Stamford I served as a voluntary Children’s Church leader for many years, before later being employed in the role of Associate Minister for Children. In this post my calling developed to the stage where I felt that I was being called into ordained ministry.”

He was ordained in 2012 and served as curate at St Guthlac’s in Market Deeping and the Priory Church in Deeping St James, then led five of the seven churches in the Uffington Group before taking up his new post.

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